Hull FC 48 Salford Red Devils 16: Inspired Jake Connor stars to ruin Marc Sneyd's return to MKM Stadium
The scrum-half, twice a Lance Todd Trophy winner during his time in black and white, was totally overshadowed by Hull full-back Jake Connor who scored a try and was involved in most of the hosts’ best moments.
Sneyd, who had been in outstanding form as Salford won their opening two games, made a series of errors and was sin-binned early in the second half for a foul on Connor.
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Hide AdHull led 20-6 at that stage and were 36-6 ahead when he returned 10 minutes later.
Salford applied heavy pressure early on, but Hull dominated from the moment Darnell McIntosh opened the scoring after 14 minutes with a fine finish at the right corner, from a delicate kick by Connor.
It was second time lucky for McIntosh who had been barged into touch by Salford full-back Ryan Brierley, from Connor’s pass, a couple of minutes earlier.
Four minutes later, Joe Burgess dropped the ball 30 metres out and Connor again carved the defence open, with a delayed pass which sent Cameron Scott through a big gap.
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Hide AdConnor added a touchline goal and, having been under pressure early on, Hull were 10-0 up at the end of the first quarter.
Scott - who limped off late in the first half - scored a lovely second try six minutes after his first, kicking past his opposite number and regathering to touch down from Ben McNamara’s pass.
Connor, who provided the initial offload, needed treatment following an incident in the build-up which was placed on report, but opted to take the conversion, which McIntosh had lined up and sent his kick wide.
He had more luck moments later, after Joe Lovodua had stretched over from another pass by the full-back.
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Hide AdSalford replied, after successive penalties, when Tim Lafai made a good take from a towering kick by Sneyd almost on Hull’s line.
Sneyd converted, but Hull made the game safe with three tries during the scrum-half’s spell in the sin-bin.
Connor dummied over moments after the yellow card, then the impressive Jordan Lane bagged a quick-fire brace, taking advantage of a Salford error behind their own line before slicing through the defence for an outstanding finish off a pass, almost inevitably, from Connor.
McIntosh converted both Lane’s tries and at 36-6 with more than a quarter of the game remaining, Hull had the points in the bag.
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Hide AdJosh Reynolds had a good game at stand-off and scored a solo try with 15 minutes left when he followed up his own kick, which bounced away from Burgess.
Ken Sio pulled an unconverted try back for the visitors from Brodie Croft’s break, but, Chris Satae stormed over from close-range after being teed up by acting-half Connor and McIntosh’s fourth goal completed the scoring.
Saklford scored a late consolation, converted by Sneyd, after Lafai touched down from Croft's kick.